The return of the Curse: Fruits Basket
by Ronnin-themanwithnoprinciples
Summary: The Sohma curse has yet to be broken! The first of the new Zodiac generation to be born was the Cat. A girl with orange hair and red eyes. But her parents are disturbed by her sudden transformation when her father holds their child in their hospital room. What will her parents decide? Will the cast their first born child aside or will the choose to accept her as she is. Find out!
1. Chapter 1

**This is a Fanfiction written by my sister, absolutely NO MATERIAL found within this story belongs to me! Neither my sister nor I own Fruits Basket; and all OC mentioned within the story are my sister's.**

Chapter one

The curse was said to be broken four years back. But they are about to learn that they were wrong.

The cries of a baby were the first to be heard, "Why she's beautiful!" The mother cradles her child in her arms, the father watching from the side of the bed. The doctor steps outside to give the first time parents some privacy. "Why don't you hold her dear," The mother asks as she hands the child to her husband.

The father holds his new born daughter to his chest and a cloud of orange smoke fills the room. When the smoke clears the two spooked parents immediately check on their daughter only to find that she has been replaced by an orange kitten. The mother gasps, terrified and the father's face changes from shocked to horrified, "What is this?" The father throws the animal aside.

A few moments later a different doctor walks in to check on the new parents. When he sees the couple terrified and crying he searches for the missing child. The doctor hears a soft mew from under the table and kneels to find the transformed infant. He picks up the new born and wraps her up in her blanket. When he stands back up and gets a better look he notices a deep gash on the child's left cheek.

Being a previous Zodiac member he calmly takes the child into a separate room and lays her on the bed, "You'll be safe here." He treats the animal's wound then returns to the room he left her grieving parents.

"We, we didn't ask for that, that THING," The father murmurs, cursing loudly.

"I don't want a monster for a child," The mother weeps, covering her face with her hands.

The doctor waits a moment before speaking, "Would you like to forget, to forget ever having that child?"

"The only regret I have is having given birth to that beast," was the mothers reply.

"Very well," The doctor places a hand over the woman's face and she falls back onto the pillow, asleep. He then turns to the father, "What about you sir?"

The father is quiet for a few moments, "Let me write her a letter…" The man staggers over to the doctor's desk and begins to write. The letter reads, "Dear daughter, we could not handle the burden of having a child, bewitched as you are. We wish for you to be happy no matter what. Even though your real parents won't be there for you, I'm sure that your new parents will cherish you to the ends of the earth. Please don't hate us; we love you, our first born." The man folds the page and tapes it closed, "Have her read this when she enters high school."

The doctor takes the letter then places a hand over the father's face, "You won't remember anything when you wake up."

"That's what I want," The man replies before collapsing to the floor, unconscious.

Once the parents were taken home the doctor went back to collect their child. When he opens the door a foul smell greets him and he discovers that a grotesque beast has replaced the child. Quickly, he takes the creature to his car and begins to drive.

The doctor parks his car and hurries into the building he stopped in front of. The doctor makes his way through the building with ease until he comes across a large room with a single woman inside, "Akito!"

"What is it Hatori," The woman asks, puzzled.

"Something's wrong, the curse isn't broken," He hurries over and reveals the grotesque beast that is supposed to be a new born child.

Akito gasps and rushes out of the room. She quickly returns and places a red and white, beaded bracelet on the deformed child's wrist returning it to the orange kitten from before. Akito then takes the new born from Hatori's arms, "Please summon Kyo and Tohru."

"Alright,"Hatori heads into the hallway in search of the nearest phone.

A phone rings and a young woman answers it, "Hello, oh Hatori, what seems to be the matter? Yes, I'll get him for you," The woman lowers the receiver from her mouth and calls down the hall, "Kyo!"

A young man pops his head out of a nearby room, "Yeah Tohru, what's up?"

"Hatori's on the phone. He would like to speak with you," Tohru replies as she hands the receiver to him.

Kyo places the phone to his ear, "Hello? Alright, we'll be over as soon as possible." Kyo hangs up the phone.

"What did Hatori want Kyo," Tohru asks curiously.

"He wants us to come over to the Main Estate right away. He seemed kind of frantic too."

"Then what are we waiting for, let's go Kyo," Tohru smiles as she takes his hand then leads him out the door.

Hatori greets Kyo and Tohru and the gate and guides them to the room Hatori left Akito in.

When Tohru sees Akito she starts to trot towards her with open arms, "Akito, it's so good to see you again!" Tohru stops when she hears the cries of a child then looks down at Akito's arms. "Congratulations Akito, you and Shigure had a baby!"

"No, this isn't my child," Akito corrects her," Kyo, come over here please."

Kyo hesitates because of a funny feeling but eventually joins the woman on the floor. He looked down at the child in Akito's arms and saw the baby's bright orange hair, red and white bracelet, and the cut on her left cheek.

"Here," Akito places the child in Kyo's arms and the child transforms into the orange kitten from before.

"But why," Kyo starts, "The curse should have broken four years ago!"

Tohru was just as shocked by this and begins to cry, "So all we did was for nothing?"

"This is why I asked the two of you to come. The child's parents had their memories erased because they were unable to bear the burden of having a cursed child." Akito takes the child back from Kyo, "I was hoping the two of you would take the child on as your own. I know it's rude to ask when you've just had a child of your own but you were the first ones that came to mind."

"Kyo, I think we should do it!" Tohru places a hand on Kyo's arm.

"You really think so?" when Kyo asks Tohru quickly gives a reassuring nod and Kyo smiles. "Akito, we'd be honored to take this child on as our own."

"Thank you," Akito replies then hands the kitten over to Tohru. The animal returns to human form shortly afterward. Akito then turns to Hatori, "I would like you to take care of all of the Sohma births that are two months premature. Chances are any child born that early will also be possessed."

"Alright," Hatori bows and leaves.

"We should probably head home as well. We left in such a hurry that we left Kazuki home all alone," Tohru says as she stands up.

Before they leave a different door slides open and a tall man with black hair walks in holding a one year old child, "Oh and Tohru, Thank you for your congratulations. It means a lot."

Tohru turns to see the man and smiles, "Anytime Shigure. May I ask what his name is?"

"Yuta," Shigure replies.

Tohru smiles, "I'm sure he'll live up to his name, goodbye." Kyo leads Tohru and their new child home. Tohru looks back down at the child in her arms, "She looks just like a little Kyo."

Kyo looks down at the child then gives Tohru a smile, "Yeah, I guess she does."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two (five years later)

Two kids play in the snow as their parents watch, "Papa, look! I made a snowman," One of the children yells.

The father walks over to see a sad pile of mush next to his five year old daughter, "That's great Kyoichi," He pats the girl's head as a reward.

"Kyo, if we don't go home soon, Kyoichi and Kazuki could catch a cold, "His wife calls out before she picks up her five year old son.

"Okay Tohru," He calls back then turns to his daughter again, "race ya."

The little girls face turns motivated and she nods, "You're on Papa!" The little girl starts to run toward her mother, Her long, bright orange hair escapes from underneath her scarf and flies through the wind.

Kyo gave the girl a head start before running himself and bolts over stopping in front of Tohru.

Tohru blushes when Kyo moves in for a kiss but he's interrupted by his children pulling on his hair and left arm.

"Let's go home Papa," Kyoichi yells excitedly as she continues to pull on her father's arm.

"Okay, okay, you win. Let's go home." Kyo takes their son from Tohru and puts him back down on the snowy ground, "You can walk on your own Kazuki. Your mother's not going to carry you for the rest of your life."

The little boy looks his father in the eyes and nods, taking his mother's hand.

Kyoichi takes her father's hand and smiles up at him. Kyo smiles back and takes Tohru's free hand as the start to walk home.

The four make it home just before sunset and Tohru put the kids to bed. She then heads to the living room to find Kyo staring out at the moon. She approaches her husband and takes his hand, "She's going to find out some day. You know that right," He asks before she could get a word out.

Tohru doesn't say anything for a moment then replies, "And when she does, we'll be there for her."

"Mama, Papa," Kyoichi murmurs as she walks in rubbing her watering eyes.

Kyo and Tohru turn their heads toward their crying child, "Oh, Kyoichi, what are you doing out of bed sweetie," Tohru asks as she kneels in front of her.

"I had a dream," The girl lowers her hand from her face even though she's unable to stop crying.

"What was it about Kyoichi," Tohru asks.

"I was… floating; inside a white space. I was all alone until someone I'd never seen before appeared. I asked who they were but they just shook their head and said, "Don't be afraid," then I woke up crying." Kyoichi finally stops crying. "I couldn't sleep after that… Mama, I felt like I had already known them for a long time."

Tohru hugs the small girl, "Kyo, we should tell her now, before she gets too old. She deserves to know."

Kyo nods and Tohru moves aside, "I'm sorry Kyoichi."

"Why are you sorry Papa? You didn't do anything wrong," The little girl doesn't understand why her parents were acting this way. Kyo didn't reply as he pulled the child into his arms.

Kyoichi didn't notice she had transformed until Tohru places a mirror in front of her. Kyoichi falls back, terrified. Tohru quickly picks up her now transformed daughter and holds her close, "Calm down Kyoichi, this is normal."

"Normal," Kyoichi whimpers with slight doubt.

"At least it is in your case. Let me tell you a couple of stories.

"Long ago, God decided to invite thirteen animals to a banquet, telling the animals to come to his house the following evening. He also warned them not to be late. When the rat heard this he decided to play a little trick on his neighbor, the cat. The rat told him that the banquet would be the day after tomorrow. The next day all the animals lined up for the party and the rat rode all the way there on the back of the cow. Everyone had a wonderful time, everyone except the cat who had been tricked."

At the end of the story Kyoichi transforms back into a human girl and Kyo brings a blanket in from the next room, wrapping it around the naked girl's shoulders.

"But that story is a little warped from the original. This is the correct version." Tohru looks up to gather her thoughts, then back down at the young girl in her lap. "Once upon a time there was a person who lived all alone in the mountains. One day the person descended the mountains to find that many people lived below it. But the person was still alone. This person had a thousand powers, lives, and memories. The person learned that this was different than those who lived below the mountains, and thus developed a fear of other people.

"One day, the person was visited by a cat. The sudden visitor bewildered the person. The cat bowed his head and said he had been watching the person for quite a long time. "You are a mysterious person; I cannot stop being attracted by you. I am but a stray cat, but let me stay by your side. Please Lord God," was what the cat said. And from that day onward the cat kept his promise. He never left God's side, not even for a moment. This made God happy. Then God had an idea. He thought that maybe he could get along with others so long as they weren't people.

"As a result God wrote and sent many invitations. As a result twelve animals came to meet God. Thirteen animals in all surrounded God. Together, they held a banquet every time the moon would shine. They would sing and dance as the moon quietly watched over the inhuman banquet.

"But one night the cat collapsed. His life had run out. Everyone cried for the cat and realized everyone would die and the banquets would come to an end, no matter how much they enjoyed them.

"God recited a chant then drew a circle on a sake cup. God made the cat drink from the cup before speaking to everyone. He said that he was going to make their bond eternal. Everyone nodded and lined up to take a drink from the cup. The rat was the first to drink; followed by the ox, tiger, and rabbit; all in order they shared the drink of their vow.

"After the boar had drunk from the cup the cat started to cry, his breath faint. The cat asked God why he made him drink and then said that even though their time together was short, he was happy he was able to spend it with God. The cat didn't want eternity.

"The cat's words were unexpected; to everyone else those words were words of rejection. They scolded the cat. But the cat continued to speak. He tried to reason with God, saying that even though things are frightening; they needed to except that things end. They needed to accept that lives depart. "Even if one more time, we both die and meet again. I want to see you under the light of the sun instead of the moon. I don't want to meet you with just those of us here; I want to see you smiling with other people." Was what the cat had said before he twitched his tail one last time and died. But no one cared about him anymore. They were filled with the sense that the cat had betrayed them.

"Slowly, one by one, the others died. Finally, when even the dragon died, God was left alone once again. And then the day came when even God died, but God wasn't afraid, because he was protected by his promise with the others. "Once again, we'll hold our banquets, as many times as we want, forever."

Kyoichi begins to nod off and Tohru smiles at her, "Kyoichi, you are the cat from these stories. Our family has had this curse for a long time. There are other members of the family that transform like you. In time the spell with break but only time will tell when."

Kyo looks over to find Kyoichi asleep, "Good job calming her down Tohru."

Tohru smiles at Kyo, "I'll go put her back in bed." She climbs the stairs and disappears behind a corner.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter three __(two years later)_

"Kyoichi, Kazuki, this is Yuta, he'll be the next head of the family when he's older," Kyo tells his children.

Kyoichi looks at the boy in front of her. He had semi-long black hair and eyes just as dark. Kyoichi looks as though she's about to cry but she shakes it off and smiles at the boy, "Hi Yuta, I'm Kyoichi."

Yuta holds a hand out to her but she steps away from it as if afraid to shake his hand. Kazuki notices his sister's strange behavior and takes Yuta's hand, "I'm Kazuki, Kyoichi's older brother."

Kyoichi hates it when her brother says he's older, "You were only born a few minutes before me Kazuki! Stop gloating about it!"

Kazuki was going to put his sister in a head lock but remembers what happened the last time he did that and settles for ruffling her hair, "It's still a fact Sis."

"Don't mess up my hair," She yells as she swats his hand away.

Yuta shuffles his feet," Do the two of you… wanna play with me?"

"Sure," Kazuki replies.

"Do you have any big trees," Kyoichi asks.

"Yeah, there's one in the back, we can play out there if you want," Yuta answers.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Kyoichi kicks off her shoes and runs down the hall. When she comes to the end she stops because the next hall splits in two directions, "Hey, you coming or what," She calls down to Yuta and Kazuki.

The two boys look at each other before racing down the hall.

"I'll come pick you up an hour before training," Kyo calls out.

"Bye Dad," Kazuki yells back to let his father know he heard him.

Yuta opens the door revealing a large backyard. It was pretty normal looking aside from the large tree in the center. There's a single swing hanging from one of the lower branches. Kyoichi's jaw drops from the size of the tree, "That's the biggest tree I've ever seen!" She jumps down from *_rōka_ onto the soft grass and begins climbing.

"Be careful Kyoichi," Kazuki yells.

*_rōka= outside wooden floor passages of traditional Japanese homes._

"Don't worry Kazuki, have I ever fallen out of a tree before," she asks in reply and she climbs another branch higher.

"Well let's try and not make this the first time okay," a voice calls over from the house.

Kyoichi hangs upside down on one of the branches and spots Shigure leaning against the door, "Uncle Shigure!" Kyoichi relaxes her legs and falls from the branch, flipping several times before landing perfectly on her feet.

She runs over to Shigure and he pats her head, "Hello Kyoichi. How are you this evening?"

"I'm great!"

"That's good to hear, don't mind me. I'm just going to watch the three of you," Shigure says as he sits down on the wooden floor.

"Okay," Kyoichi turns around and heads back up the tree.

A couple hours later Kyo returns to collect his children for Karate training. Kyo is now the owner of his father; Kazuma's Dojo and teaches his two oldest children in private training sessions near the end of the day. Kyo allows only a few other students in this class because they were seen to have exceptional skill in the art.

The class went by smoothly and Kyo dismissed his students, "Kyoichi, Kazuki, the two of you head home first I have a private lesson tonight. I'll be home before dinner."

"Okay, bye Dad," Kazuki replies and heads out the door, Kyoichi right behind him.

_(Five years later)_

Tohru is cooking breakfast in the kitchen when the phone rings, "Would someone answer that please," She yells in to the hall not wanting to burn the food.

"I'll get it," a boy with short, light brown hair calls back to her as he walks into the hallway and answers the phone, "Hello, Sohma residence, Yuta? Yeah, one sec let me ask my mom." The boy sets the receiver on the stand and walks into the kitchen, "Mom it was Yuta, He wants to know if Kyoichi and I can come over after breakfast. Is that okay?"

"Of course it is Kazuki. Oh, and can you set the table? I'm almost done cooking."

"Alright," Kazuki gets some dishes out, carries them to the dining room table and sets enough out for four people. He then walks back to the doorway of the kitchen, "Table's set."

"Thank you!"

A girl with long orange hair comes down the stairs in her pajamas, yawning. The girl notices the phone off its charger and calls out, "Hey is someone on the phone?"

"Ah crap, thanks for reminding me Kyoichi!" Kazuki runs into the hallway and picks up the receiver, "Sorry I took so long Yuta; my mom said its okay so we'll be over there after breakfast, alright, later." He hangs up.

"Yuta, what did he want?" Kyoichi looks at her brother curiously.

"He wants us to come over after we eat."

"Alright," Kyoichi replies.

Tohru brings the food to the table. Kyoichi and Kazuki sit down and wait for their father to join them, "Kyo, Breakfast is ready!" She calls from the bottom of the stairs.

"Okay, let me get Rin and I'll be right down!" Kyo comes down stares carrying a two-year-old girl who looks just like her mother.

"Good morning Rin, did you sleep well," Tohru asks as she takes her daughter for Kyo.

Rin begins waving her arms up in down toward her father, "Papa…"

Kyo smiles at the young toddler and takes her back from Tohru. Tohru smiles with a slight sadness, "I guess she still prefers her father…"

"Come on Tohru, let's eat." Kyo uses his free hand to guide his wife to the dining table.

When Kyoichi and Kazuki make it to the Main House Shigure opens the door, "Hello Kyoichi, Kazuki. Come on in and make yourself at home."

"Thanks for having us," Kazuki says as he takes off his shoes.

"Pardon the intrusion," Kyoichi does the same.

"I heard the door! Are the here?" Yuta comes running down the hallway, so excited to see his friends again he jumps, tackling Kazuki to the ground. Kyoichi dodges so that they don't collide with her.

"Ouch Yuta… that hurt," Kazuki sits up and rubs the back of his head.

Yuta sits up giggling, "Sorry!" Then, when both of them are standing again Yuta turns his attention onto Kazuki's little sister, "Kyoichi," The little boy hugs Kyoichi but instead of transforming like she always does, she looks as though she wants to break down and cry. Kyoichi fights the tears and waits for Yuta to release her.

Yuta and the two siblings head to their usual place, the back yard, to play. Kyoichi spends her time lounging about in her tree as Yuta tries desperately to get onto the lowest branch. Sadly, just when he thinks he has it he loses his grip on the branch and falls to the ground hard.

Yuta's eyes tear up and he begins crying. Kyoichi, feeling guilty because she had dared him, jumps down and tries to console him, "I'm sorry Yuta… I won't dare you to climb the tree anymore."

Yuta instantly stops crying and gives Kyoichi a big grin. Kyoichi gives a sad smile back and they join Kazuki at the swing.

After a couple of hours of playing the boys fall asleep at the base of the tree and Kyoichi sits on the wooden floor boards with a sketchbook and pencil.

"What might you be drawing Kyoichi," Shigure asks and he leans over her shoulder for a look.

Kyoichi's hair stands up and she tries to cover the drawing with her body, "H-how long have you been standing there Uncle Shigure?"

"Not very long," Shigure sits down beside the spooked girl, "But Kyoichi, that wouldn't happen to be you crying in the picture would it?"

Kyoichi sighs, "It's all Yuta's fault… Whenever I see him I feel alone and helpless… It makes me want to cry."

"But you know Kyoichi, its normal for you to want to cry in front of him. It was the same all the previous Zodiac members. We all cried the first time we encountered Akito."

"Really," Kyoichi looks up questioningly.

"Yep, and the new members have cried before Yuta. One except, for you," Shigure smiles warmly, "I think once you let them out you'll feel much better. Maybe then you won't be afraid to be near him as much."

Kyoichi looks over at Yuta's sleeping face and tears start dripping down her cheeks. Kyoichi hugs Shigure turning into a small orange feline. And she continues to cry until she falls asleep herself.

A few moments later, Akito comes out with two blankets. She lays one over her son and Kazuki and wraps the other around Kyoichi as she takes her from Shigure.

Shigure leans back and looks up at the clouds, "Do you think the curse will break for good this time around?" He glances at his wife.

"Only time will tell," Akito smiles at Kyoichi."


End file.
